Black Beans Tacos

Overhead photo of five beans tacos with corn salsa.

5 from 4 votes

These easy Black Beans for Tacos are simple to prepare, nutritious, and packed with delicious bold Mexican flavor. Made with fragrant canned black beans and fresh corn salsa, these bean tacos are filled with hearty, yet wholesome ingredients. These healthy tacos may be vegetarian, but you won't miss the meat at all! Ready in 25 minutes or less, they make the perfect for fast and flavorful meal for hectic weeknight dinners.

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Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: entree, main

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: bean taco, bean tacos, beans for tacos, beans for tacos recipe, beans tacos, black bean taco recipe, taco beans, tacos beans

Servings: tacos

Calories: 60kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Equipment

1 Medium Size Mixing Bowl
1 Large Saucepan

Ingredients

Black Beans

2 TBS Olive Oil
1 medium Red Onion – finely diced & DIVIDED (about heaping 2 cups)
1 large Red Bell Pepper – finely diced & DIVIDED (about 1 ½ cups)
2 large Jalapenos – seeded, ribbed & finely diced; DIVIDED (about ¾ cup)
2-3 cloves Garlic – peeled & minced
1 ¼ tsp EACH: Ground Cumin & Paprika (sweet or smoked)
1 tsp EACH: Chili Powder & Dried Oregano
1 TBS Tomato Paste
½ cup Vegetable Broth, Chicken Broth or Water
2 (15-ounce) cans Black Beans – drained & rinsed (or 3 cups cooked black beans)
Flakey Sea Salt & Ground Black Pepper – to taste
1-3 TBS Fresh Lime Juice – to taste
Optional For Serving: Tortillas - flour or corn, warmed
Optional Toppings: Corn Salsa Sliced Avocado, Shredded Lettuce, Shredded Cheese or Crumbled Cotija, Salsa Verde, Pico, Sour Cream, Hot sauce, Lime Wedges

Instructions

Saute vegetables: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add the remaining onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onions are almost translucent, about 5-6 minutes.
Add seasonings: Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika and oregano. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 1-2 minutes.
Add liquid, then beans: Add the broth (or water) to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Then, add the black beans and season to taste with a couple generous pinches of flakey sea salt and ground black pepper. Stir well to thoroughly combine.
Simmer beans: Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 13-15 minutes, or until the beans have slightly broken down and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.
Finish the beans: Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Taste and add more salt, lime juice or dry seasonings to taste.
Optional – smash the beans: Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon or fork to smash some of the beans. Stir well.
To serve beans as tacos: Spoon some of the beans down the middle of each tortilla. Top with corn salsa and desired garnishes. Enjoy!

Notes

Cotija cheese is a hard, crumbly Mexican cheese made of cow’s milk. If you can’t find, or don’t like cotija, you can substitute either queso fresco or feta cheese.
To warm tortillas for tacos: Warm tortillas directly over a low flame on a gas range. Alternatively, warm tortillas one at a time in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

Recipe Serves: Approximately 4-6 people

Recipe Yield: Roughly 10 tacos

Nutritional information is an estimate based upon 10 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition